The Department of English and Literary Studies is one of the eleven pioneer departments established following the creation of the Federal University Lokoja in 2011. The pioneer Head of Department was Late Prof. Joseph Sunday Aliyu, who served for two academic sessions. The establishment of the Department was motivated by the need to provide functional, comprehensive, and contemporary academic training in English Language and Literature-in-English. At its inception, the Department focused on the three major areas of English and Literary Studies: Language, Literature, and Drama, leading to the award of the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in English and Literary Studies. Over the years, the Department has continued to expand both academically and professionally in response to emerging scholarly developments and societal demands.

The Department currently runs both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The undergraduate programme is a four-year course, while the postgraduate programmes include the Master’s degree programme with a minimum duration of eighteen (18) months and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme with a minimum duration of three (3) years in relevant areas of English Language and Literature.

The Language component of the programme is designed to expose students to the general structure of human language and, more specifically, the English language. Students are trained in the effective, accurate, and creative use of English, with emphasis on spoken and written communication, grammar, phonology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and other branches of Linguistics and Language Studies. The programme also addresses deficiencies in language use while equipping students with the analytical skills required for understanding the various forms and varieties of Standard English. The Literature component exposes students to literary traditions, literary criticism, critical theories, and contemporary literary forms. Through the study of prose, poetry, and drama, students develop critical thinking skills, creativity, imagination, and a deeper appreciation of human experiences, values, and cultural practices within Nigeria, Africa, and the wider global community.

The Department is committed to producing graduates who are intellectually sound, creative, and competent. Graduates of the Department have been seen to demonstrate high proficiency in pronunciation, grammatical accuracy, and effective communication, alongside the analytical and creative competencies required in diverse professional fields such as education, media, publishing, and creative writing. Beyond its core academic mandate, the Department promotes creativity, scholarship, and the effective application of knowledge towards addressing challenges within and outside Nigeria. It remains committed to producing graduates who can function effectively as scholars, professionals, and responsible global citizens.

The broad objectives of the B.A. (Hons.) English and Literary Studies programme of the Federal University Lokoja are to:

1. train students to acquire adequate communicative competence in both spoken and written English;
2. equip students with knowledge of the forms and features of the varieties of English used in professional domains such as business, electronic media, print journalism, advertising, new media, publishing, and biography;
3. develop students’ literary and creative competencies in critical thinking, literary analysis, and creative writing;
4. expose students to relevant literary theories and practices that will enable them to appreciate and interrogate sociocultural and political experiences represented in literature, film, drama, and human interactions;
5. prepare students for postgraduate studies in English Language, Literature, Drama, and Communication Studies; and
6. develop graduates with the intellectual, communicative, and entrepreneurial skills required for national development and global relevance.

To employ best and contemporary practices in the teaching, research, and training of students in English Language, Linguistics, and Literature.

To be a first-rate Department committed to the training of world-class graduates in English and Literary Studies.

The philosophy behind the establishment of the Department of English and Literary Studies is anchored on the recognition that critical knowledge and adequate skills in English and Literary Studies provide access to the vast domains of universal intellectual and cultural heritage across all areas of human endeavour.

The Department’s philosophy further emphasises the centrality of language, literature, and drama to the acquisition of intellectual, communicative, analytical, and creative competencies required in a dynamic and rapidly developing nation such as Nigeria. Given that English functions as Nigeria’s official language and de facto lingua franca, the study of English is expected to provide graduates with a thorough understanding of the diverse dimensions of language and literary scholarship necessary for excellence in society.

The Department also seeks to promote the functional study of English Language and Literature through contemporary teaching methods, critical inquiry, and scholarly research. Its programmes are designed to produce graduates at all levels who are intellectually resourceful, independent-minded, imaginative, tolerant of diverse perspectives, and highly effective in oral and written communication. To promote research in language and literary studies, the Department publishes the  Lokoja Journal of English and Literature biannually. The journal features peer-reviewed, research-driven papers in English, literature, and linguistics. [See link: https://zenodo.org/communities/lojel/records?q=&l=list&p=1&s=10&sort=newest]